Bromley Methodist Church

Records of Bromley Methodist Church, Central Methodist Church Bromley and Widmore

All Methodist papers apart from published material have a 60 year closure date.

Bromley was involved in the Wesleyan movement from an early date. John Wesley visited the area several times 1772-83, preaching to a society at Widmore 1772. In 1776 a chapel was opened at Chislehurst Green Widmore Rd, replaced in 1888 by one at Tylney Rd.

The first chapel in Bromley, 'Zion', 1826 stood in the upper High St. But the rapid growth of Bromley's population soon made this provision for worship inadequate.

Zion closed in 1872 and two years after a new church was opened in lower High St. At Bromley North a Wesleyan mission operated from 1881, initially in a cottage in the Farwig area, then in the 'Great Tent' in Station rd 1902-5 until Central Hall, London rd was opened in April 1905.

The latter was destroyed in the 1939-45 war and the church in High St demolished 1964. Instead a new church was erected in Holwood rd to serve both congregations, (Bromley Methodist becoming the Central Methodist church 1 January 1965), and opened July 1965. The Tylney rd congregation joined in September 1975 after the closure of their chapel.

The Bromley & Lewisham circuit was formed in 1866 from the Deptford circuit. It included the Bromley, Lewisham, Widmore & Keston societies and, from 1872-92, Chislehurst. In 1876 Lewisham left the circuit leaving Bromley at its centre.

Beckenham joined the circuit in 1884, Farnborough & Clock House in the early 1900's and West Wickham in 1933.

A 'circuit' does not correspond to an area of local government. (A circuit was an important feature of early Methodist organisation defining an area within which the itinerant preachers operated) It is a group of 'societies' or churches whose representatives, stewards, trustees, leaders meet every quarter to co-ordinate their accounts, activities & spiritual life.